The other night I visited the northern tip of Longboat Key. This is one of those spots that only locals seem to know since it’s a little difficult to get to. To get here you have to walk in the water due to beach erosion. The water was warm and inviting which made my task all the more enjoyable. This section has a lot of toppled trees from hurricanes and so it’s a rather surreal landscape. On one of the stumps sat this pileated woodpecker who was not so shy as he let me get quite close. Lets just say this is one of those little corners of heaven, right in my own backyard.
Sunset Through the Trees
This sunset from behind the trees produced and interesting effect I hadn’t anticipated. It was more luck, I didn’t plan it this way. In any case, I hope everyone gets a chance to pause and view a sunset from time to time, it’s food for the soul. A sunrise will do also but that takes a little more effort. I once heard someone say that the reason we like staring at a fire is that flames are similar to the nature of our soul. I think that’s also why we like watching the sun set and rise. Reminds us of something.
Emerson Pond at Dawn
One morning last week I captured this just after sunrise. Everything seems so peaceful in the morning and to me this pond is a reflection of that. After capturing this I went a little ways up the road to another pond and was treated to the chatter of all the birds. I’m not sure chatter is the right word because sound of the Osprey is more like a cry-out warning the neighborhood that he’s up and awake. I think if I was a critter I’d take note, because other than the occasional Eagle, the Osprey are the head honchos. Anyway, it’s a nice experience to watch the morning rituals of the wildlife before I start my own busy day.
Jensen Beach
This is a sunrise over a very long and inviting beach I took a couple of weeks ago on the east coast of Florida. When I first arrived the turtle patrols were out looking for new nests and checking existing ones by GPS coordinates. I got there before sunrise on a Sunday so these folks are indeed dedicated to the well being of the turtle hatchlings. It was good to compare the beaches here to those on the west coast near my home, of course I’m partial but these beaches were inviting and unique in their own way.
Water and Sky
Sometimes when I’m out taking pictures of the scenery something simple as the stillness of water can affect me most. That doesn’t always translate into an interesting picture. Such was the case a few nights ago when I stood with my tripod in the warm calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and took this shot. No birds, no bridges, no nothing. Just water and sky. Kind of like floating at sea. Kind of like drifting in space. Kind of like a meditation. We might think of this during our hectic day and remember that behind, beyond, and above it all is something simple that matters most.
Rye Preserve
One thing we seem to have a lot of in Florida is nature preserves. I heard of a guy who is on a mission to visit every Starbucks in the US, …there must be thousands, and that’s just in one city. My mission is to visit every preserve in my county. I know it’s a lofty goal, but you gotta aim high. So today I visited Rye Preserve and shot this near the canoe launch. There was a sign just before this saying that the dam (a couple hundred yards upstream) occasionally discharges large amounts of water and if you hear the siren then “prepare accordingly”. …Hmmmm. My wife said she didn’t have a good feeling. With afternoon thunderstorms this time of year the lake upstream can easily get too full. Hmmmm. But, …no sirens, no worries. Later this evening I was watching the local news and, apparently (get this), there are emergency repairs underway on the dam right now, because, …it could give way. I’m switching to Starbucks.
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Terra Ceia Bay
This little pier is at Emerson Point and looks out upon Terra Ceia Bay. I spend a lot of time here, mostly because I like taking pictures. Being a state park in an urban area there are posted hours, basically just before sunrise to just after sunset. Seems reasonable. However, I have a tendency to lose track of time and last week I found myself near this spot about thirty minutes after sunset. I headed back to my car and there waiting for me was the ranger. He saw my camera and tripod, I think he was being polite because he didn’t say a word. He followed me for a bit as I drove out, but I had to drive slow because all the little critters were coming on to the road. I then realized that the posted hours as as much about the safety of the critters as anything else.
Back to the Boat
This gentleman had a bag of groceries and was heading back to his boat for the evening. I think when you anchor offshore you have no dock fees, no rent, only groceries and living expense. Sounds like a simple life. I’d probably go crazy without modern conveniences, but I’d still try it for a week or two. I’d get through a few more books and have more time to think about what’s important to me. Even if I can’t be isolated on a boat, I should probably do that anyway.
Jensen Beach Pier
This is the fishing pier the other night at Jensen Beach Florida. I like piers because they take me out of my element and over another, confined yet free at the same time. A little dichotomy for you to ponder before the weekend. Anyway, I thought it was a little funny that the town was named Jensen Beach since most of it is inland. Nonetheless it does have a very nice beach across the bridge. But for me on a nice warm evening this was the place to be.
Lake Placid, Florida
On the weekend we took a drive to the east coast of Florida to see what we could see. A little more than halfway we stopped at Lake Placid for lunch. Picked up lunch at a friendly little diner and then found the public boat dock for a picnic by the water. Later I learned that Lake Placid has a clown college, …okay? So if you’re afraid of clowns you might steer clear, …I’m just sayin. Other than that this sleepy town seems like a nice enough spot and a good place to put your feet in the water to cool off from the Florida midday heat. And besides, the only clowns I saw were these waterfowl playing in and amongst the reeds.
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